Telephone-meter.



E. H. MARTIN. TELEPHONE METER. APPLIUATION FILED' FEB. 25, 1911.

1,01 8,435. Patented Feb. 27, 19124 2 SHEETS--SHBET 1.

l 1 im I E. H.' MARTIN.

TELEPHONE MEgER. Arrmoulon 111mb 11:11.25, 1911.

1,018,435." Patented Feb. 27,1912.'

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lm I e @je e 6M- @we @l/QV? W EDWARD HJMARTIN, Aor* WEBSTERCITY, mvv

TELEPHONE-METER?.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. I27, 191,2.

Application tiled :February 25, 1911. Serial No. 610,80'3.

To all whom 11i may concern: l

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. MAi'zTI-N, a citizen of the United States, residing at Webster City, in the county of Hamilton land State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Telephone-Metiers, of which the following is a specification.

The' present invention relates -to telephone systems, and particularly to means for metering the service glven to subscribers of such systems.

The object of the invention is to provideva,

novel system Which'will measure the actual time the receiver is in service .and which will prevent the use of the telephone when the meter is out of service.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a clock train, a meter to be actuated thereby, and contacts infthe talkingcircuit of the associated transmitter and receiver, and arf range them so that in operation the meter is in motion all the timethe talking circuit is.

closed, the talking circuit being opened as soon as the meter stops, and the me'texj stop pingV as soon as the talking circuit'is inter ;rupted. In this way, an accurate record is kept -L/f. I have illustrated the invention 1n connect-ion with slot mechanism whichwill opl erate to provide a talking circuit-fo; a detilnite 'period of time corresponding to thel value of the'coin, or token, deposited, b ut the invention is not limited to such use, but

is capable of more extended application.

The specific c lllracter of the invention will be bestunderstood upon reference -to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and its scope will be particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In said drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a vvall' set 'constructed in accordance with my invention, the'inclosing casing, or box, being shown vin section, and the other parts in elevation'; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same,

-thebox-being sectioned on a 4plane indicated b the line' 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front e ovation of the meter, or counting, mechanism, and a portion of the adjacent box;

F1-g. tis a vert-ical sectional elevation, thc

plane of section being indicated by the line.

444' of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a detail of certain contfafmechanism controlled bv the clock train, the parts shown in section being taken Ion Aa'pflilie indicated-by the line 5 5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a similar sectional; view, 'the plane of section being taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4,-.illustrating the coin controlled lever and its associated notched wheel, which normally hold the clocktrain against movement; Fig. 7 is a sectionalview' illustrating 'the main drlving spring and cooperating contacts which serve to interrupt the talking'circuit when the spring is run down; and Figs. 8 and 9 are diagrams of the electrical connections, Fig. 8 illustrating the connections where slot mechanism is not em# ployed, and Fig. 9 the same where such mechanism is employed.

Throughout these gures, l like character-s' l.

refer to like parts. .v

In the drawing, 10 designates the boxfor casing of the wall setin and upon. which the various parts of the mechanism are-prefer as pivoted at oneend to a post 12 and forked at its other end for the reception/ofthe.

telephone receiver, 13. A spring 14 operates to Araise the switch-hook whenever -the re-- ceiver is removed therefrom.- The box -10 is provided with a large opening at one side, which is closed by the escutcheon plate 15. This plate 15 carries theframel, upon -vvith the usual switch-hook 11', here vshown wliich the several parts of the 'clock train I are mounted. T he opposite side'of the-box 10 1s provided with an opening through4 1 which the coin chute 17 extends.-

The 'clock train is .of the usual construction and, as here shown, consists of a series of shafts or arbors 18, 19, 20, 21', 22,-- which carry the intermeshinggear-Wheelseand inions 23, 24,- 25, 2c, 27, 2s', 29, 3o. T @se shafts are suitably journaled' in theframe -16 and the gear train is such as to drive'the last of the series of shafts at a high rateof speed. The shaft 18 extends forward of thef frame 16 into an where it is squar for the reception of-a winding key. The shaft 19 is also extended gpenng 31 in the box'10,'

forward of, and to the rear of, the frame 16.

Atits forward end, itcarries the coin wheel 32, and at its rear end the'contact controlled wheel 33. The coin controlled wheel is pro- A `1o5 -vided with a slot and an extensionf35.

The slot is shaped so as to {receive a coin, or

token, of a'given size-andlto hold it' untili."

the wheel hasmade a turn of several (ie-.-

;grees from its normal-position. When such oint is reaclfie'd2 the coin drops-outof. the irifheelinto the interior of the lbox 10, or

other suitable receptacle. 'When 'the coin first drops in to the wheel, it deprcsses a weighted lever '36, pivotcd at an intermediate point to the bracket 37, secured to the interior of the box 10, which normally. engages a notchin the' projection 35 -of' the coin wheel. Due .to the presence of a single notch in this projection, the coin wheel .is free'to complete a rotation before the lever 36 again engages a'notch. In this way, the clock train is free to rotate aldeiinite amount, commensurate with thelvalue of the coin', or token, deposited.

The contact controlled wheel 33 upon the rear of the shaft 19 is also provided with a notch which normally engages an insulating projection 3S on a'contact spring. 39ivh1ch normally is out of engagement with the' contact sprin 40.. lVheneTer the shaftl 1.9 is started in its rotation, the springs 39 and 40 are brought into engagement to complete a circuit through the telephone for a purpose, which will hereinafter more fully appear. The Springs 39'and l0 are mounted upon a suitablensulating member 41,. which is secured to the rear'of the frame 16.. .The shaft 21 also extends forward4 of the frame 16 throu h an o ening in't-he front of the box 10 w ere it orms part of the meter, or 80l A'bracket 43,

counting, mechanism 42- incased in Vthe secured vto the f ro'nt of the box.

'The shaft 22 is provided at its rearsvith the usual fan governor 44, and at its forward end is journaled in a bracket 45, 'secured to the escutcheonplate 15. At' its forward end, the shaft 22 is also provided with a brakefwheel 46 against the under side 'of which bears a brake-shoe 47, carried upon one end of, a lever 48,' which is pivotcd at an intermediate point to a bracket 49', also carried bythe escutcheoh plate 15. The lever 48 is connected with the switch-hook 11 'by some suitable' connection such as the wire 50. Thiswire, as shown, is coiled into a spring throughout a rtion of its length to- Vprovide for inequalities of adjustment. The

main driving spring 1 51 also coperates, through the agency of a plunger 52, with contact 'springs- 53, 54, which also serve inthe control of) the telephone circuit. Th'ese springs aremounted-upon a suitable4 insulating member 55, carried by the frame 16. The plunger 52 is'slidably 'mounted in an opening inthe casing 56 and engages the under side of, Athe contact' springl 54, foi

course beingsuitably insulated from. it, a s

by the insulating'tp 57 The lower spring 53 is also provided witi an enlarged open.-

ing through which' the plunger 52 asses so as not to make electricalv contact wit it. The

y collar 58jon the plunger limits its downward l movement. When the spring is wound up, it occupies a relativelyr small space about .the shaft 18 and, as n consequence, the spring 57, due to its inherent, tension, engages 4'through the springs 53, 54, is maintained 'springs 39' and 4D, controlled 1which the i' s .free to incite.

spring 53 and, as a result, plunger 52 moves downward into the casing 56.' The circuit until the spring 51 becomes suiciently une Wound to engage, the inner end of the plunger' 52 and separate' the springs 53,v 54.

In FigsyB and 9,' theA electrical circuits controlled by this mechanism are diagrammatically shown. In these diagrams, the switch-hook 11 and receiver 13 of the other figures are illustrated. In addition, the substation transmitter 59, .the call bell 60, and

the condenser 61; 'of the usual substation telephone circuit, are shown. The telephone line is illustrated b the limbs l(i2, 63'." The call bell Iand con cnserare in normally cl osed bridge ofthese limbs, While the't'ransmitter and receiver are in a normally' open bridge,A controlled by thc switeb-hook. Dur ing conversatiox'i, the talking circuiti extends from one line limb, through the transmitter and receiver, to the other line limb. Ihis talking circuitis controlled by the contacts "3, 54, associated'with the driving spring of t 1e mechanism, as before explained. Fig. 9 differs-from Fig. 8 in havin the contact 'y the wheel 33, also included in this alkingcircuit.' It is only" when the ,slot echanism is employed, that this'A latter p'hir. of, spring co'ntacts'4 is -necessa When the' slot mechan ism'is to` be omitted, then these springs 39 and 4.0,'a'nd also the Weighted lever' 36, are to be' omitted. The diagrams .merely illusl tirate a. well known substation circuit, but it will beapparent to those skilled in the art that othersubstationci'rcuits might e ually well be employed,..the essential point ing that t e contacts 53 and 54 in `the onecase, or the' contacts 53,. 54, a-nd'39, 40, in the othercase, controlI the talking -circui't through the substation, this being preterably done by opening the line limbs, as illustrated.

In operating the mechanism, the spring 5l mustkbe first Wound up. Until this is done, no talking circuit can be had, for the reason that. the contact springs 53, 54 are actuated lever 36. Of course, where coin 'mechanism is not employed, the gear train is not impeded by the lever 3G, because such lever istlien'omitted' from the structure. In cilvnside'ring4 'tljeoperation oi the mechanism, we ay' consider first the-case .in mechanism is not intended for slotservice.; Yl'n'that case," the lever36 and the springs and 39 would be omitted and 'the latter short-crcuited'. If then, with the clock train -wound lup, the receiver 13be rcmoved from its hook, the brake-shoe Av1:7 reexcept when llt? 'cedes ,from the brake-wheel 4G, and the train As it moves, the meter 42 I is actuated to indicate the-duration of service. This indication may be in any suitable as the receiver is restored toits hook, the

brake-shoe-47 is again brought into'play and the further movement of the clock train, and therefore o f the meter, arrested-'In ,this way, an exact record is kept of the time th'e receiver is off the hoo'k and in service. Whenever the spring 51 of the clock train runs down, the talking circuit is opened at contact springs 53, 54, and further conversationcan therefore not be carried on until the spring is again wound up, or partially Wound. In such event, the meter will again lbe actuated during thc time the receiver is off its hook. i

In4 case the device is operatedwith t-hecoin slot mechanism in service, then the-sirnple removal of the receiver, even after winding up the clock train, will not necessarily free the train and it will not necessarily close a talking circuit. With the slot mechanism in service, the talking circuit is controlled not only at, contacts-53, 54, andthe 'switchhook, but also at contacts 39, 40, controlled by the wheel 33 on the shaft which carries thecoin wheel. IIf this latter wheel is jin position to receive another coin, the contact springs 39, 40, are separated a dl the talking circuit is interrupted, Consequently, manipulation of the switch-hook cannot close it. Under these circumstances, the deposit ofa coin, or token, rocks leverl 36 about its pivot in opposition to the. force of gravity act-ing upon its Weighted end, and

40/ frees it from the notch in the projection 35 ofthe coin wheel. 'As a result of the coin .thus deposited and the receiver being kept oil" the switch-hook, the clock train is free to move to close, the talking circuit at contact-s 39 and 40 `andl keep it closed at that'- point until the coin wheel'has made' a completerevolntion-andagain brought the notch 1n the projection 35 in ositicn to'be enlgagged by the lever 36. t is not necessary, owever, that the conversation continue -from the time the coin wheel is in its norma-l position until4 it Aagain reaches its normal osition. The recelver may be restored to its hook at any int in the intervahand the clock train, and consequently the meter, will be arrested in its movement'. Subsequent` removals of the receiver will againclose the' talking circuit andsu'bsequent conversations may be carried ou-- until the coin wheel again gets around to n rmal, or, in other words, until the value o the deposited` token has been obtained in telephone service. When the coin Wheel has'again reached its normal position, the deposit vof an additional coin will again leave the apparatus in condition for further conversation. If at any time Wheel, and when it does occur, it is only A necessary to wind up the spring anew.

-In carrying out my invention, it will be pipaijent that it maybe embodied in' many erent type's of telephone sets ind systems and that many alterations and modifications may be made iii thegdetails herein illustrated. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the specificl application of theinvention herein disclosed, 4or to the specific de'- tails, but aim to cover, by the terms of the appended claims, all legitimate uses and modifications of the invention.

'What I claim as new ,and desire to secure by Letters Patent of thel United-:States is 1. A telephone system comprising a telephone line, a transmitter,-a receiver, circuit connections for connecting said transmitter and receiver tosaid line, time measuring:

mechanism, a switch-hook for controlling said mechanism, and contacts vactuated by said mechanism to vary said circuit connections. I

2. A telephdne system comprising a telephoney line, a transmitter and receiver adapted to .be included in talking circuit Witt# said line, time measuring mechanism, a switch-hook operative upon theI removal of the receiver to include s'aid transmitter 'and receiver in talking circuit and to set saidtiming mechanism into operation, and contacts actuated by 'said mechanism to interrupt said. talking circuit upon the running down of said mechanism.

3. A t lephone system comprising a telephone lne, a transmitter and receiver adapted to be included in talking circuit with said line, a clock train, 'a meter upon a shaft of said train, a` switchhook operative upon the removal of the receiver to include said receiver 'and transmitter in talking circuit and to free said clock train, and contacts for interrupting said talking circuit when said train is run down.

vat, A telephone system comprisin'ga telephone line, al tuen. itter and receiver adapted to be-include'd in talkingcircuit 'with said line, time measuring mechanism, a

switch-hook and means for jointly controlling said mechanism, .and means responsive to the operation of said time measuring ,mechanism to interrupt said talking circuit upon theV expiration of a deinite time interval.

5. A telephone system comprising a tc'lephone line, a transmitter, a receiver, circuit connections for connecting said transmitter and receiver to said line, time measuring mechanism, means under the sole control of the user of the receiver for starting 'said mechanism, and contacts actuated b'y said mechanism to vary said circuit connections. V Z6. A telephone system. comprising a telephonelne, a transmitter and receiver adapted t0 be includedl'in talking circult with said line, timefmeasurng mechanism operative independentlyof the electr'cal condition of said line, aswi'tch-liook and nseotziaterl means for jointly controlling said mechanism, and means responsive to the operation of said mechanism for interrupting said talking circuit. V i

7. A telephone system eoniprising a telephone line, a transmitter, a rccei\'e1',"circuit connections for connecting; said transmitter and receive! to said Iii; switclr hook for controlling said conm tions, time mcasurin mechanism operative indepcnd' ently of t 1e electrical condition of said line, means for controlling said mechanism, and contacts actuated by said mechanism to vary said circuit connections.

8. A telephone system comprising a telephone line, a transmitter, a receiver, circuit connections for connect-ing said transmittel* and receiver to said linc, time measuring mechanism, means under the sole controi'uf the user of the receiver for starting said mechanismY and a switch-hook and contacts actuated by said'mechanism for varying said circuit connections.

9. A' telephone system comprising a tele-y phone line, a transmitter and receiver adapted to be included in talkin circuit with said line, time measuring mec anism, means ,under thesole control of the user for including said transmitter and receiver in talking .circuit and starting said mechanism, and means under the Subsequent control of said mechanism for interrupting' said, talking circuit'.

10. A telephone system comprising 'a tele` phone line, a transmit-ter and receiver adapted to be included in talkin circuit'with said line, time measuring mec ianism, means under the sole control of the user for includ- Jlng said transmitter and receiver in talking circuit and starting said mechanism,-and contacts actuated by said mechanism to inv E. F. KING,

A.. H. PYLE.

terrupt said talking circuit upon said mech- 

